Drum Deals: The 5 best Snare Drums for Rock and Metal

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Is your snare drum not cutting it anymore? Does it not sound Rock- or Metal-enough? Then we might have the right thing for you. In this week’s edition of drum deals, we take a look at the five best snare drums for Rock and Metal.

While this might be a tough combination of sound choices for one list, we’ll try our best. For most Rock songs, the snare sound is central to the groove. It needs that “crack” or “thwack” sound that makes it a key element of the backbeat. A Rock snare also needs to be able to transfer rolls and ghost notes as clearly as possible (depending on the drummer’s technical ability).

So, in our Drum Deals, we look at rather deep models at different budgets and made of different woods for the best snare for rock music. Smaller Snares, not just Piccolo modes, tend to lack the physical but, more importantly, a sonic body to work well in an arrangement.

When it comes to the best snare for Metal, we’ll focus on snare drums made of just that: Metal. A few models are made of different brass or other alloys that don’t break the bank. A metal snare makes more sense for your blast beats and breakdowns because, soundwise, it works best in an arrangement full of down-tuned riffs and double bass.

Pearl 14″x6.5″ Sensitone Steel – Almost 10% off in our Drum Deals!

Pearl’s Sensitone Series caused quite a stir (literally), when it was released. Each model had a different, very distinct sonic character. And each model offered such a broad range, you could play it in just about any genre! For this week’s edition of Drum Deals, we’ve selected the 14″x6.5″ steel model.

Because, not only does it sound great. This model is also almost 10 percent off at Thomann*. With steel snares, you get “cracky” beasts, that work in both thunderous Rock anthems and blasting Metal bangers. And the Pearl Sensitone excels at both!

Pearl JJ1365 Joey Jordison Snare – Get the Slipknot tone at home

It’s been almost three years since Nathan Jonas “Joey” Jordison left us – RIP to one of Metal drummer’s greats! His impact on Slipknot’s manic and chaotic songs was undeniable. His speed, style, and aggression were almost unmatched.

While we sadly won’t ever hear Joey play again, there is still his signature snare from Peal. This 13″x6.5″ model consists of a 1 mm thick steel shell, Superhoop II hoops, and a SR-017 snare strainer. And, of course, it’s black. It does not get any more Metal than that. Right now, this model is almost 10 percent off at Thomann*!

DW 14″x6.5″ Design Workhorse SD – Black nickel-plated brass shell

While this list might have a slight tendency towards Pearl, it’s by no means the only Rock and Metal snare heavyweight. If you’re in the market for a new snare for the heavier side of music and have been eying DW’s catalog, but the more exclusive models are out of your budget, this one might be it. And this is a brass shell; you get sounds from this snare that work in both Rock and Metal.

If you’re starting to see a pattern when it comes to the size of our selected snare drums in the drum deals, it’s no accident. 14″x6.5″ models usually hit that sweet spot of the most assertive “crack” and the biggest range between rim shots and ghost notes. DW’s Design Workhorse is right up there for everything. And this model is available at Thomann*.

Ludwig LM402 Supra Phonic – More than 10% off in our Drum Deals!

If you ask around for THE rock snare that isn’t a Black Beauty or any other $2k model, few models are mentioned as often as the LM402 (or its sibling LM400). When it comes to a drum’s sound, it has to please three pairs of ears. The drummer him- or herself, the band, and the engineer. And the LM402 is an absolute winner in all three categories.

It’s, again, a 14″x6.5″ model (no surprises there), but this one is made from a chrome-plated smooth aluminum shell. So, for the rockers among the drummers out there, you get a snare that’s lighter than most steel snares and more rock – what’s not to love? The LM402 is down by over 10 percent at Thomann* right now out our drum deals.

Pearl 14″x06″ Matt Halpern Signature – Black, Brass, Blast-beat

The third model from Pearl (don’t get used to it!) in our Drum Deals list for the five best snare drums for Rock and Metal is, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful one. I mean, matte-black finish AND black MasterCast cast hoops?! But it’s not just about the looks.

Given that, most of the time, you (the drummer) are pretty much the online one actively looking at the snare, it should also sound ok, right? Well, this signature snare by Periphery’s groove monster Matt Halpern and Pearl, more than does the job. Way more. With its 1.5 mm brass shell and its STL Swivel Tube lugs, you can get just about any Metal snare sound out of it. And this model of more than ten percent off at Thomann*!

* This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!

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